Gardeners dream of owning a potting shed that provides all the necessities for growing and dreaming. Create a potting shed from an existing location or start from scratch. Plan, sketch, list, and dream of every thing you have ever wanted in a garden corner. Take your ideas and develop them into a plan of action. With imagination and a little elbow grease, you can have the potting shed of your dreams.

Potting Shed PlansBegin developing ideas for a potting shed by asking yourself a few questions:

* What will you do inside the shed? * How big will it need to be? * Will you construct a freestanding building? * Is an existing building or shed available to use? * Can you clean out a corner of the garage to create a potting area? * How much storage area will you need? * What does your budget allow for creating a garden corner or shed?

Take a look at the first question: What will you do inside the shed? List everything you have always wanted to do inside a potting shed. The most likely tasks are potting, transplanting and storing extra pots, tools, fertilizers, and potting soils. If you grow a plethora of herbs and flowers, having a place to dry the harvest would add value to the shed. Gardeners who also create beautiful floral designs appreciate having plenty of space to work. Perhaps you dream of a place to escape and call your own. Add a chair and a bookcase full of gardening books for daydreaming of the growing days to come. List everything that you can think of. You are creating a master wish list that you may need to pare down later.

The most important question to answer once the wish list is complete comes down to the budget. Create a realistic budget for your gardening project. If you maintain a budget for indulging in your favorite past time, consider using part of that budget to add a potting shed. Points to consider for inclusion in a potting shed budget follow:

* Estimate how much money it will take to build a new shed or revamp an existing building. * Allow for building permits. * List the organizational tools you want in the shed and an approximate cost.

A freestanding building may need electricity requiring an electrician. Do not forget the little extras like a stool or chair, bookshelves, and decorative items. Add everything up and see if it fits into your current budget. Remember this is a project that can be completed over time.

Potting Shed DesignsBuild a potting shed using plans and designs as close as a click away. The Internet abounds with potting shed designs from country to contemporary. While perusing plans keep in mind that a charming building in the backyard just for your gardening penchant should harmonize with the rest of the landscape. A Victorian home with an ultra-modern, sleek potting-shed design may stick out like a sore thumb. Make sure the design meets your expectations before purchasing. Garden books and magazines offer a plethora of ideas and available potting shed plans.

Spend the winter and garden downtime pouring over magazines, books and the Web seeking the perfect shed design.

Freestanding sheds can be purchased pre-assembled. The small playhouse-type buildings can be seen and purchased at do-it-yourself stores like Lowes, Menards and Home Depot. Be sure to check out the inside of the little building before having it delivered to your backyard. The plus side of purchasing one of the small barns comes with how quickly you will have a shed, even if it is only the shell. You will need to add a potting bench and storage space.

Turning an existing building on your property into a potting shed offers another option. Transform an old carriage house, out building, porch, or corner of the garage into a garden spot. Cleaning out the area presents the bulk of the work for creating enough space. Add a coat of paint and your own touches to define the space.

Potting Shed EssentialsA potting shed must have a place to pot up seedlings and transplant mature plants. A potting bench is the most essential aspect of a garden shed. Potting benches come in various materials, from redwood to vinyl, and in various sizes. A solid-wood top provides an easy-to-use workspace. Shelving above keeps trowels and tools handy. A shelf offers a place to store potting soil and extra pots. Find a potting bench with drawers for even more storage options.

Make your own potting bench according to your specific needs and desires by revamping plans from magazines, books, and online. It is a quick weekend project that gets you the results you want.

Browse flea markets or yard sales for an inexpensive, worn cupboard. Remove the doors, if there are any, and paint the cupboard using a semi- or high-gloss paint. Add wood boxes or rectangular baskets to hold trowels, clippers and all small tools. Make sure to use a rubber-made container to hold soil. Store extra pots on one shelf.

A rubber container with a tight-fitting lid for soil is a must. The size depends on how much planting and transplanting you do. One or two large watering cans are necessary and add ambiance to the area. A smaller watering can for potted plants and seedlings may be a good investment, as well.

Potting Shed ExtrasDepending on your garden budget and how much time you spend in your garden shed, you may want to electrify and heat the little building. Creating a space filled with everything you love inspires you to sit and dream in your own little world. Add an easy chair covered in chintz, charming curtains, a side table, and a lamp. A bookshelf, purchased or built over a weekend, offers a home to all the garden books you have collected over time.

A garden window for starting seeds indoors adds appeal to the building.

Make sure you place the garden window on the sunniest side of the building for optimum use.

If you’re using a corner of the garage as your potting shed, consider defining the space with wood-lattice work painted in a vibrant color. Place the potting bench in front of the lattice where hanging tools becomes easy with metal s-shaped hangers.

Gardeners who plant lots of flowers and herbs for preserving may want to consider building small rafter-like additions to the ceiling. Many flowers and herbs dry well hung upside-down. Hang long thick dowels from the ceiling using large-eye screws. Tie bundles of flowers or herbs on each end of cotton string and then drape the strings over the dowels at various heights for drying. A wooden drying rack serves the purpose for preserving flowers and herbs, especially if floor space is no problem.

Creating lush bouquets and arrangements from the bounty of your garden requires space and tools. Think about adding a tin or aluminum top to one potting bench or part of a bench to protect the wood from soaking wet. Pots and containers for floral designs need a home, as do the tools of the art.

A garden-potting shed provides a place for all the tools a gardener needs. A strip of wood on the wall with hangers for shovels, spades, rakes, and hoes keeps the bigger tools off the floor. The garden shed essential potting bench offers space to work and to organize the smaller tools.

A little getaway in the backyard offers opportunity for dreaming as well as storing and organizing garden tools. Give your gardening dreams a shot by planning the perfect potting shed.

What Is Your Garden Personality?Have you ever wondered what kind of garden would suit you the best? Alfred Austin said, "Show me your garden and I shall tell you what you are." From the clothes you wear to the car you drive, what we surround ourselves with sends a message to the world. Why shouldn't your garden be another reflection of you? These questions will point you in the direction of the garden that scratches your green thumb itch!